The present invention relates to a cast power transmission disk and to a method of manufacturing such a disk and more particularly to a novel cast disk including peripheral rim, body and hub portions, the rim portion having at least one power transmission unit and a unique molding method for forming such cast disk.
Various types of cast disks including peripheral rim, hub and body portions are known in the art, as are methods of manufacturing such disks. In fact, it is known to cast a power transmission disk with molds formed to provide major and minor portions of the disk and then to chuck the disk on both sides of the disk for major machine finishing operations on both cast disk sides. Such machine indexed finishing operations on both disk sides in the past has involved machining both the outer and inner diameters of the rim, the body portion extending between the rim and hub--particularly when such body portion was in the cast form of spiders or radial-type arms--and both the inner and outer diameters of the hub.
The present invention, recognizing the desirability of casting a power transmission disk with molds formed to provide major and minor portions of a disk, utilizes such a known principal in combination with novel casting and machining features and with novel method steps including chamfering of selected areas of the novel power transmission disk to reduce subsequent machine indexed finishing operations, the addition of materials at other specifically selected areas of the disk to enhance strength and at the same time reduce overall material demands for such selected areas, the casting of appropriate draft angles at appropriate selected areas of the disk to accommodate for ready mold release and machine chucking and finishing operations and to also minimize such machine finishing operations at the cast parting areas by minimizing sharp or stepped edges at such parting areas. In addition, the present invention provides a novel, strong, well balanced power transmission disk structure along with a method of manufacturing the same which is both economical in manufacture and assembly, and which reduces machine indexed finishing operations in most instances to one disk side to allow for only one concentric and square chucking operation with little or no balance operations required and in those other instances to minimize machine finishing operations on both disk sides, allowing for ready chucking of both disk sides, if and when required, with minimum machine finishing operations at least on one disk side.
Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth herein.